A retired Army colonel who spent years trying to find the helicopter pilot who rescued his unit during the Vietnam War will speak to The Villages Sons of the American Revolution this month.
Col. David Johnson, of the Village of Santiago, will speak to the group Saturday, March 13 at 10 a.m. at Captiva Recreation Center. Visitors are welcome at the meeting but must practice social distancing and wear masks.
Johnson, who retired from the Army after a long military career, and his men were surrounded by the enemy and under heavy fire while fighting in Cambodia during the Vietnam War. Johnson called for help and a UH-1 “Huey” pilot flew in – at great risk to himself and his helicopter – to pick up Johnson’s unit and fly them to safety.
Johnson spent years trying to locate that pilot to thank him for his bravery but wasn’t able to find him. But thanks to a television program titled “We’ll Meet Again” with Ann Curry that aired on PBS in November 2018, they were reunited. Johnson will share details about that reunion and his remarkable, life-changing story when he speaks to SAR members.